The Night Before Coronation
by Thepopcornpup
Summary: Twas the night before coronation, and all through the castle, not a princess was stirring- well, that's a big fat lie. (One-shot)


I sit on my bed, hugging my knees. Light snow falls around the room, and the sound of the clock ticks loudly in my head.

_Tick. Tock. Tick. Tock._

I look up at that clock that reads 1:35 in the morning. Just a matter of hours until I'm Queen.

What's going to happen? Will I even make it through the coronation? And if I do… what then? How many people would I have to face? Would I have to go on trips all the time like Mama and Papa did?

I hug my knees even tighter at that thought, feeling tears in my eyes. The tears cause frost to cover my bed and creep up my walls.

"No!" I whisper to myself. "No crying. No feeling. Conceal, don't feel."

My head pounds as I lay down. I have to go to sleep. If I don't, I'll be a zombie at my coronation.

I try to get my eyes to close. But, they open. I close them again. But, they open again. This goes on for what feels like an hour.

"I can't close my eyes." I breathe.

I look at the clock again. 1:40. It's only been five minutes?!

I turn to face the wall. Then, I turn the other way. Then, I turn on my back. Then, I turn on my stomach.

How can I feel so worn out, but so awake at the same time?!

Suddenly, a loud whoosh startles me. I bolt upward, only to realize that it was my own blizzard that I started in my room.

I glare at the clock above me. 1:42. I form a snowball and throw it at the clock angrily.

I sigh and think repeatedly, _How can I sleep? How can I sleep?_

Then, I remember what Mama always did when she couldn't sleep. She made tea. Maybe that will help me. It's worth a shot.

I start to get out of bed, realizing just now that I've been gripping onto the covers for dear life, making my knuckles white. I release my grasp and climb out of bed. I pick up my new cerulean gloves for the coronation and slip them on. I might as well get used to them. As I walk out, I glance back at the grandfather clock. 1:45

I stride into the kitchen and gasp. It's been thirteen years since I've been in this kitchen. It looks mostly the same, except less chocolate stains on the counter. I shake the reminiscent thoughts of Anna and my chocolate obsession out of my head and find the teabags. I set up a kettle on the stove with a clang of metal and wait for the water to boil.

I start pacing around the kitchen, unable to stay still. Jumbled thoughts about the coronation race through my mind. It could go all wrong. What if I lose control? What if I hurt Anna again? I wouldn't be able to bear it. I-

"GET OUT OF THIS CASTLE, YOU SPACE-INVADING STRANGER!"

"Ahhh!" I scream and turn around to see someone with a knight's helmet on pointing a sword at my neck. "Wh-who are y-you?!" I sputter, trying not to freeze the floor.

"Wait..." The person gasps and I jump at the sudden sound. "Elsa?"

"How do you know my name?" I question, using my queen voice.

The person takes off her helmet to reveal a a girl with a bird's nest of reddish-blonde hair and a very freckled face.

"Anna..." I gape.

"Elsa, I-I didn't recognize you." Anna tucks a piece of her wild bed head behind her ear and looks at the floor. "Sorry for attacking you."

"Anna, you're so…grown up." I look in wonder at my not-so-little sister.

"You are,too." Anna smiles. "Um, anyhow, I just heard a noise, which I guess was you. What are you doing out-er, up. What are you doing up?"

"I, um," I was freaking out having to rule and protect our country with uncontrollable, lethal ice powers. "I couldn't sleep."

Anna nods and looks down again. I can tell she feels just as awkward as I do. "Um, well, I should go back to bed. You know, be well rested for-"

_CLANG!_

Anna jumps and I stiffen at the sound. "What was that?" She whispers.

"I don't know."I answer. "I'm-I'm sure it's nothing, though."

_CLANG!_

"Is someone in the castle?" She asks fearfully.

"Of course not." I reply, unsure. "How could-"

_CLANG!_

"Elsa?" She glances at me. "I don't think that's nothing."

I pull on my glove tighter, feeling the air getting colder. "Where is it coming from?"

_CLANG!_

Anna points down the hall. "That way."

Anna starts down the hall but turns back when she sees that I'm not following. "Come on!"

"Maybe I should check the other side of the castle," I suggest, not wanting to be so close to Anna.

_CLANG!_

"It's definitely coming from over here." She says. "We should stick together."

Hesitantly, I nod and follow her.

_CLANG!_

Anna holds her sword in front of her. "It's getting louder."

"Shouldn't we get a candle so we can see where we're going?"I question.

_CLANG!_

"The sky's awake," Anna answers. "We've got all the light we need."

I grin, despite the situation.

_CLANG!_

I tense again and lose my grin.

We pass my room until we get to the end of the hall.

_CLANG!_

"Wait, what?" Anna looks around the hall. "We should have found the clanging by now."

"It's quieter over here." I note. "It must be coming from one of the rooms."

_CLANG!_

Anna gasps. "What if someone is stealing something for your coronation?!"

My eyes widen in fear. It's not unlikely. "Um, th-the scepter and orb are kept in a cabinet in Papa's old study," I whisper. "My coronation dress is in my room. You go check the study, and I'll check my room."

"But, shouldn't we stay together?"

_CLANG!_

"It's better that we try to figure this out as quickly as possible," I tell her. "It'll be faster if we split up."

"But-"

_CLANG!_

Anna stops objecting and hurries down the hall toward the study. I head toward my room, cold with panic.

**_CLANG!_**

I scream and fall back. The clanging is a lot louder in here. I catch my breath and push myself up.

**_CLANG!_ **

"Elsa!" Anna cries. I hear her clumisly run across the hallway. "Are you okay?!"

_**CLANG! **_

"I'm fine."I call out.

I stare up at the clock, starting to get a hunch.

_**CLANG!**_

Ignoring the booming sound, I put my hand on the side of the clock.

**_CLANG!_**

The clock vibrates as the clanging fills the room.

What could have broken the clock? I wonder.

**_CLANG!_**

Then, I spot white slush inside the clock.

"The snowball…" I mutter.

**_CLANG!_ **

I open the door to the bell in the clock and watch it as the bell clangs.

**_CLANG! _**

The bell moves foward and back, instead of side to side, making the bell clang as it hits the back of the wall.

**_CLANG!_**

I remove my glove and slowly, carefully grab the bell.

**_CLANG! _**

"Ah!" I hiss in pain and grab my hand.

"Elsa!" Anna comes stumbling back down the hall. "What's wrong?!"

I examine my palm, which has a small cut. I look up to see a drop of blood on the bell, and a splinter of wood sticking out from the back of the clock.

"Elsa?" I hear the doorknob click.

"Don't!" I cry. "D-don't come in. I'm fine."

**_CLANG!_**

"What in Arendelle is going on in there?!" Anna questions.

"I-"

**_CLANG! _**

"I'll explain in a moment." I call. "I've almost got the clanging stopped."

I reach out for the bell, but, inches away, I stop. I look back at my stinging hand. If I try again, I could make the injury on my hand worse. Injury leads to pain, pain leads to sadness, and sadness leads to my powers spinning out of control.

**_CLANG!_**

I wince nervously.

"Elsa, I'm coming in there." Anna says, making my heart stop.

Forgetting the clock, I rush over to the door and push back on it. "You _can't_ come in here, Anna!" I grunt, putting all of my weight against the door.

**_CLANG! _**

The doorknob clicks back to its ordinary position. "I just wanted to make sure you were okay." Anna mumbles, sounding hurt.

_**CLANG! **_

My face falls. I want to apologize. Not just for overreacting about her coming in; I want to apologize for everything.

Instead, I just ask, "Can I trust you not to come in?"

_**CLANG! **_

"It's been thirteen years, Elsa." She says defeatedly. "I won't come in."

I sigh and back away. I walk over to the clock.

_**CLANG!**_

Not caring about losing control (The floor is already frozen anyway), I reach out and grab the bell. I move it back to it's original position and wait.

_Tick. Tock. Tick. Tock._

No clanging.

I sigh. "I fixed it." I tell her as I pull my gloves back on.

Anna doesn't respond.

"Anna?" I call. "I fixed it."

I open the door. Anna left.

My face falls. I suppose that I deserve it. I've left her for so long.

I walk downstairs to get my tea, as if I have any chance of sleeping now. As I walk down the hall, I notice a suit of armor with a sword and a helmet missing. _I guess I know where Anna got her sword and helmet. _

In the kitchen, I see Anna standing there, pouring tea.

"Anna?"

"Oh, Elsa." Anna walks toward me, holding a mug. "I poured you your tea."

"Thanks." I respond, taking it from her. I'm careful not to actually touch Anna's hands, though; just the mug. "I thought that you went back to your room."

"I had to make sure that you were alright." Anna explains, sounding slightly defensive. "What happened anyway? Are you hurt?"

_She's_ concerned about _me_ being hurt? If only she knew how much I worry about her.

"The clock in my room broke, but I fixed it."I answer.

"Why did you sound like you were in pain?" Anna asks.

"I cut my hand on some wood in the clock, but I'm fine." I assure her.

"Good." Anna smiles.

We stand side by side for a while, with me occasionally sipping my tea. I keep glancing nervously at Anna, silently begging her to move away from me. But, at the same time, I want her to stay.

"It's kind of funny," Anna says, tearing me away from my thoughts. "How the sky is awake the night before your coronation. It's like a good luck charm."

_Or a bad luck charm_, I think to myself, remembering that night Anna woke me up because the sky was awake.

"It was always so fun when we would sneak outside to play in the snow at night." Anna continues wistfully.

"Yeah," I reply. My breathing feels uneven at the mention of our childhood. I decide to try and change the topic. "Um, d-do you want some tea?"

Anna shakes her head. "I haven't been able to drink tea without laughing since the time you spilled tea all over our tutor when were kids. She was so mad, but her reaction was definitely worth it."

I hold back tears. Anna remembers it wrong; I froze our tutor's tea.

Anna laughs. "We always had so much fun together. You always made sure that I was never bored."

"Anna, I think you should go to bed," I snap. "Now."

Anna looks taken aback. "What? Am I not allowed to talk about when we were kids? Was it really that bad for you?"

"What?" I feel as if I was punched in the stomach. "A-Anna, no…"

"I know." Anna looks down. "You couldn't have enjoyed it since you shut me out. What…what did I do wrong?"

Without saying a word, I suddenly run upstairs to my room. I lock my door and crumple to the ground, letting myself cry. The room freezes over.

Anna really thinks it's her fault? That she did something wrong? I already knew that I'm a horrible sister, but I guess I'm worse than I thought.

There's a rythmic knocking at my door. "Elsa?"

I don't dare respond.

"I'm sorry." Anna keeps talking anyway. "I…I shouldn't have brought that up. I just…always wanted to know why. I love you, Elsa. I just want to know why you don't-" She stops herself, since we both know what she was about to say. "Why you don't come out of your room, that's all." She tries to correct herself.

She stops talking, but I know she's still there. I know she's waiting for me to speak. But, I don't.

"The sky's still awake," She says. "So, I'm still awake, so we have to play."

How much worse could it really get if she keeps talking about our childhood? Maybe I could play along.

I chuckle and reply playfully, "Go play by yourself!"

Anna laughs. A real, geniune laugh that makes me want to laugh, too. Then, she asks in a sing-songy voice, "Do you want to build a snowman?"

My smile disappears. I whisper, just quiet enough that she can't hear me, "Oh, Anna. You wouldn't believe how much I want to build a snowman."


End file.
